The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-08-14

stitute.
Let the farmers make their organ
ization practical and they will at
the same time make it profitable.
PROTECTIVE ROBBERY.
An Ohio Farmers Iden Of High
Protection.
A. G. Agee in American Grange Bulletin.
Free Trade, as the term is gener
ally used in the United States, is
defined as ian exchange of commod-
tiles between the people of the differ
ent countries without any restric-
tions on the part of the government,
except so far as it may be expedi-
ent and necessary to impose tariff
upon foreign goods solely for the
purpose of raising revenue'-a tariff
for revenue being accepted as a nee
essary burden, just as direct taxes
are regarded, and should be SO
placed that it will yield the neces
sary revenue with the least snciden-
tai protection.
a protectiue tariff is duty i'm
posed upon commodities imported
into country to prevent their sale
below the price at which such COM
modities can be manufactured at a
profit to the home manufacturer.
/ hold that tariff imposed for
protection is contrary to the sound
principles of political economy, and,
therefore, injurious to the country
that practices it; that it is in its
very nature unjust, and that the in
evitable evils that attend it over
shadow all it's imaginary blessings;
and that it is upheld in the interests
of the few at the expense of the
many by sophistical reasoning and
appeals to the selfish and dishonest
instincts of a deluded class of peo-
pie.
Steele says: God has so ordered
that there are natural diversities in
nations and individuals. Every ma
ton has some capability or facility
which no other nation has, This
statement we know is true. 1t must
follow that each nation can produce
some commodity more cheaply than
other nations. The chief blessing
of commerce consists in it's ability
to enable producer Of one commod-
ity to exchange thessurplus for com
modities produced by others who
are so situated that they can pro
duce them more eheaply than he
In England, for example, coal and
iron are found in alternate layers
The land is thickly populated
Large amounts of capital are willing
to accept investment in manufactor
les at rate of interest SO low that
little profit is needed to satisfy it
Here are. the conditions God has
made for grand workshop, the con
ditions for the production of man,
commodities at a, to us, marvelousl,
low cost. The agricultural region
are insufficient to supply the mean
of subsistence to these workmen
In the United States we have mil
lions upon millions of acres of fer
tile land. We can raise a bushel o
wheat at much less cost than Eng
land. The God of nature intende,
that we supply the workmen in tina
: great workshop with bread; tina
they, in turn, supply us with cheap
4 ly manufactured articles. Eacl
!, party saves, thereby, time, labor
money.
J, Judging by the arguments ad
: vanced, we must believe that tn
theory is held by many that richie
will be in proportion to the amour
and intensity of labor performed
that the nation whose working peo
, pie can secure and perform the mos
labor, will prosper most. The the
DRY is false. The province of labo
is to convert the gifts of God, tina
are not in shape to minister to tn
J wants of man, into the required con
| dition. If all things were read,
prepared, as some are, there woul'
be no necessity for labor, and al
would be rich. Riches consist i
the result of profitable labor, an,
: that nation is the richest that s
, directs it's labor that it will encoun
ter the fewest obstacles and be mos
productive; and that secures all it
ordinary supplies at the cost of tn
smallest amount Of labor. If labo
: and capital by inducements of
bonus on goods they may produce
or tax on goods that compete, er
gage in a pursuit in which they hav
e to combat natural difficulties, an
struggle without natural facilities
the amount produced must be les
, than it would be if engaged in
pursuit possessing natural facilities
If the quantity of commodities
q reduced, if the supply is less, th
q riches of the nation are less. There
fore, protection, by interfering, in
poverishes nation and thwarts tn
efforts of political economy.
A protective duty is unjust, it
s legalized robbery. If it costs "
to manufacture in England an
: freight to this country certain a
ticle, and, through lack of facilitie
our manufacturers can not make
), for less than $35, then they ask an
0 government grants tax of 81
2 upon the importation of that articl
q so that it can not bessold for les
than $35. Then is the home mani
facturer encouraged to make the a
/ ticle here. The consumer has
y pay $40 more than he would if I'll
8 government allowed him his inhe
:, ent right to buy where he can bu
cheapest. 1.-THE home manufacture
can not make the $25 article for les
% than $35, the lesson to be learned
It that he had better turn his attel
h ton to something for which h
/, country possesses facilities. Heh'
no moral right 20 influence Congre'
e to compel the consumer to pay hi
a $40 extra for the sake of "encourai
e ing him. Government has a rigl